CES 2013

At shows like CES, audio writers are always looking for new products to report on, but some manufacturers have a very self-serving definition of what they tell you is a "new" product. More than once, I've been told by a rep that they have a new product, but it looked familiar. "Wasn't this at last year's show, and didn't I even report on it?" "Yes, but now it's actually in production."

I actually have considerable sympathy for reps in this situation: it takes courage to respond to a question about what's new by saying "Nothing." But I particularly appreciate reps that are not afraid to tackle the problem by being absolutely straightforward about it. Over the years, I've encountered a number of reps that I know will give me the straight scoop when I ask them what's new. One of these reps is Ian McArthur of Audio Plus, distributors of Focal speaker. Like his boss, Daniel Jacques, Ian had never tried to shade the truth by claiming that a speaker is new when it has been out for a year.

With this as the background, I knew that when Ian told me that Focal has completely revamped the Focal Chorus 700V series of speakers, I could take his statement at face value. The Chorus 700 series is priced from $499/pair to $1799/pair, with the center-channel CC700 costing $599 each. They're all still made in France, and feature high-tech drivers, with particular attention being paid to cabinet construction. Availability is February to April, depending on the finishes and the countries. Here's a photo of "Honest" Ian McArthur with some of the Focal Chorus speakers.